Investigation into Language: Idea Generation

Writing all the findings down in order to see links and form a conclusion 

Various idea reactions:

• Presenting onomatopoeia in different languages 
• Showing images of various colours 
• Spoken word visualisation
• Computer software and code art 
• Inkblot images - a universal language based of lateral thinking / perception

Conclusion:

The design wanted to find a solution that incorporates all the findings within the investigation, rather than just focusing on one aspect. It wants to present a way of communicating between humans that is more inclusive and less subjective, as to evolve language with human consciousness. If language is a tool separating different ways of thinking around the world, and constituting the way individuals perceive or translate their environment, how can language be re-designed, altered or re-presented in a way that allows people see the world differently?

Inquisitions: - Colour
- In the future what is going to matter?
- 'Actions speak louder than words' instead of having to explain ourselves, could depicted emotions, and acts like a hug, a kiss or a high five, say more and help evolve humans to be happier
- We are in an age were their is an over-saturation of words due to cyberspace - mass communication and all-sharing platforms
- Similarly to comic books, could a new set of imagery be established that is universal in its translations of sound, tone, speed, and personality
- Emojis and hieroglyphics (new and old) progression back to logographic interpretations of meaning
- A future of storage worries and coding evolution 
- As humans progress into the inclusion of more digital outlets to present information and communicate messages, (a rise in the incorporation of technology into everyday lives - AI, robots, softwares), can a new language be developed that evolves the way we communicate with this? - more efficient, inclusive and clear communication 
- Progressing the west to communicate with the way they feel rather than think - ideas of body vs mind - becoming more in touch with our bodies and emotions - can this help with the worries of modern day stresses (information overload)?
- Will this make us more compassionate beings?
- Will this eliminate social anxiety of what we say - being judged / being classed based on our vocabulary?

Key findings to utilise in the solution:

• Counting devices
• Storage of online written language
• Need for communication enhances as civilisation grows
• Egyptian hieroglyphs composed language / sentences from plants, body parts and birds (nature) - with our evolution of consciousness is it now emotions and geometry
• Removes class-based language / we are not defined on what we say, the tone we speak in, the strength of your vocabulary
• War (Spanish conquest rendered Mayan extinct) - mirrored today with the dominance of the English language - only one way of thinking 
• The brain and culture
• Abbreviated language - ampersand, exclamations - the interrobang, acclamation, conviction
• Logograms, written language and characters that represent a word or phrase

Progression:

Inspired by Ryoji Ikeda's Datamatics presentation of data through sequencing and pattern generation, how can the design create a logogram for the future, based of technology and AI. The visualisation of code is a great way to combine all the research into one output - that acknowledges language as something that is evolving with humanity, and that is conditioned by environment and thus the next generation. 

Spoken language is essentially sound / vibration / tone

Written language is essentially imagery / shapes / geometric forms

The output should reflect this basic concept.

Playing with visualisation software that translates sound and touch through coding:

The design downloaded and played around with various visualisation software to generate imagery that could then be edited. Much of the software produced colourful imagery and the design wanted to keep the outputs black and white to reflect standard logogram and typographic development.

Software experimented with:
- Triple A
- Gravitarium
- Thicket
- Spectrum

Below are a selection of screen-shotted visualisation that were then edited to make black and white imagery, enhancing the white and linear qualities. Different modes created different graphic forms, all reacting to various types of music and sound production, from light melodic sounds to scratchy electronic harsh noise. 

Thicket:

The design found thick to be the best visualisation software for the basis of the imagery. The software is well designed with an excellent UX. The different modes allow for a variety of outputs to be produced, with the AI reacting to the amount of fingers used, speed of touch, weight of touch, techniques of touch - dragging, pressing, holding - all rendering interesting and varying forms to work with. 

About:
'Thicket is an audiovisual playground that allows anyone to create beautiful sounds and pictures from simple finger touches. For users of all ages, this generative art and sound app immerses you in song-like audiovisual pieces called modes. When “playing” a mode, you both react to and create the music and graphics that you experience. Each mode is its own art generator, interactive toy, musical instrument, even performance tool depending on how you use it.'

Thicket's creators, Morgan Packard and Joshue Ott, are artist/programmers with roots in underground techno, classical music, art, theater and dance, who usually present their work on big screens and big sound systems. Thicket is an intimate, highly personalised realisation of the artistic styles they have each developed over years of dedicated work in venues throughout the world.

Relevance to project:

• producing imagery through code
• all inclusive - all ages 
• audiovisual - sounds producing form 
• RGB / digital / use of AI 
• abbreviated language 
• efficient

Selected imagery produced that could be used as the basis for different logograms:

Style 1

Style 2

Style 3

Style 4

Style 5

Style 6

Style 7

Style 8

Style 9

Style 10

Style 11

Style 12

Now what?

Ways of presenting a new logogram

- type posters

- type specimen 

- a transition from emojis to code

Methods of production 
- zooming in on parts 

- vectorising imagery

- motion graphics / design for screen

Immediate responses:

The design took the initial imagery and investigated how it would look in a sequence. Videos were produced that considered a) keeping a black and white visual language b) the use of colour to translate mood/emotion, and c) the speed we can / will be able to receive information. The idea is responding to technology and data, so the production used flashing imagery to see if the tone of voice could reflect a futuristic visual. 

The development then focused on selecting one style of imagery and experimenting with process to see what emotions could be drawn from different editing styles. This design felt this logogram could depict confusion and so produced various stills and moving imagery to get an idea for methods of production. 

Notes:
- Transitions
- Weight
- Line 
- Mood

HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL - CONFUSION?